Boomers are often critiqued for their outdated views and resistance to change, but there are also many things that they do well. Here are 10 things that Boomers did better.
Buy New Products
While recent generations are enticed by the latest shiny trends that only last 5 minutes, Boomers are wise when it comes to investing in new products. They will take their time investigating the pros and cons of each item and will likely spend a lot of money on something that will last. As the saying goes, “Buy cheap, buy twice”, which is something Boomers know!
Volunteering
Boomers love to volunteer and, unlike Millennials, they do it for the good of others rather than trying to raise their profile and boost their CV. While the majority of Boomers will volunteer as they reach retirement age it is not unusual to see kind Boomers giving up their time in nursing homes, hospitals, and libraries throughout the US. If you are Gen X looking for help with a community project you know who you should go to.
Music
Music from the Boomer generation has informed so many great bands who are still around today and every Boomer oozes nostalgia from their musical past. While Boomers revel in knowing that they were from a seminal time in music, they also keep the current music industry afloat as they are responsible for 25% of music sales in the US while Gen Z is the free download generation.
DIY
Boomers know the importance of hard work and saving money by doing home improvements themselves. With great pride in their independence, a Boomer is likely to give something a go before calling in professional help, which is what later generations would do. Take a look at any YouTube DIY video and you are likely to see a Boomer taking you through the steps to renovate your bathroom.
Relationships
As well as having close family relationships and long-lasting marriages, Boomers are great at maintaining good business relationships. This attribute is particularly beneficial to local communities as it is often Boomers who instigate events to bring people together. Being good at relationships will mean that a lot of Boomers give great advice and can be the people to go to if you’re experiencing relationship difficulties.
Hitting Goals
With a strong worth ethic and the desire to push boundaries, Boomers set themselves goals and they do their best to achieve them. Once goals have been diligently reached during their working years, Boomers set to make plans to achieve the goals they have not yet met once they retire. This means traveling to countries that their parents only dreamed of visiting, learning new skills, and challenging themselves to invest their time and money wisely.
Keeping Fit
Boomers pride themselves on keeping fit and active to achieve all of the goals they have set. Whether it be attending pilates classes or hitting the green with their golfing buddies, Boomers want to get out and about as much as possible. Not only will Boomers look after themselves they will also ensure that their family exercises which will often mean group activities and fun sporting days out. We know that Gen X like to keep fit with their personal trainers and online HIIT classes, but the Boomers know how to carry out traditional exercises on a very regular basis to combat obesity.
Creativity
As mentioned, Boomers have a very strong work ethic and are constantly looking for ways to reinvent themselves. This is why Boomers are very creative as they think outside of the box to conjure up new business ideas or change their career path so that they are constantly achieving new things. While modern generations will always look to the future and work in many of the more creative industries we see today, Boomers have the old-school knowledge to know what works best and what is best left in the past.
Self-Reliant
Boomers are the generation of independence and self-reliance meaning they can achieve what they want in life with little support from others. Problem-solving and being open-minded on completing a project means they see things through to the end and don’t let any setbacks hinder their progress. While other generations certainly have such qualities, nobody has as much self-reliance as a Boomer.
Reliable
With so much time and effort put into their work, relationships, family life, and community, Boomers want to show that they are trustworthy and reliable. When living or working with a Boomer you can rely on them to put every effort on top of what they are doing and the work will be of high quality. You can often tell how reliable a Boomer is as they will show up on time, be dressed well, and will be confident in their actions, which will be completed on time.